Genesis 24:33-49

International Children’s Bible

³³Then Laban gave the servant food. But the servant said, “I will not eat until I have told you why I came.”

So Laban said, “Then tell us.”

³⁴He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. ³⁵The Lord has greatly blessed my master in everything. My master has become a rich man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He has given Abraham silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and horses. ³⁶Sarah, my master’s wife, gave birth to a son when she was old. My master has given everything he owns to that son. ³⁷My master had me make a promise to him. He said, ‘Don’t get a wife for my son from the Canaanite girls who live around here. ³⁸Instead you must go to my father’s people and to my family. There you must get a wife for my son.’ ³⁹I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ ⁴⁰But he said, ‘I serve the Lord. He will send his angel with you and will help you. You will get a wife for my son from my family and my father’s people. ⁴¹Then you will be free from the promise. Or if they will not give you a wife for my son, you will be free from this promise.’

⁴²“Today I came to this spring. I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please make my trip successful. ⁴³Look, I am standing by this spring of water. I will wait for a young woman to come out to get water. Then I will say, “Please give me water from your jar to drink.” ⁴⁴Then let her say, “Drink this water. I will also get water for your camels.” By this I will know the Lord has chosen her for my master’s son.’

⁴⁵“Before I finished my silent prayer, Rebekah came out of the city. She had her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and got water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ ⁴⁶She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder. She said, ‘Drink this. I will also get water for your camels.’ So I drank, and she gave water to my camels also. ⁴⁷Then I asked her, ‘Who is your father?’ She answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Milcah and Nahor.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. ⁴⁸At that time I bowed my head and thanked the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. I thanked him because he led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. ⁴⁹Now, tell me, will you be kind and truthful to my master? And if not, tell me so. Then I will know what I should do.”

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Genesis 24:33-49

New International Version

³³Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”

“Then tell us,” Laban said.

³⁴So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.^(A) ³⁵The Lord has blessed^(B) my master abundantly,^(C) and he has become wealthy.^(D) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.^(E) ³⁶My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,^(F) and he has given him everything he owns.^(G) ³⁷And my master made me swear an oath,^(H) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,^(I) ³⁸but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’^(J)

³⁹“Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’^(K)

⁴⁰“He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,^(L) will send his angel with you^(M) and make your journey a success,^(N) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.^(O) ⁴¹You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’^(P)

⁴²“When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success^(Q) to the journey on which I have come. ⁴³See, I am standing beside this spring.^(R) If a young woman^(S) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”^(T) ⁴⁴and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’^(U)

⁴⁵“Before I finished praying in my heart,^(V) Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder.^(W) She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’^(X)

⁴⁶“She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’^(Y) So I drank, and she watered the camels also.^(Z)

⁴⁷“I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’^(AA)

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel^(AB) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’^(AC)

“Then I put the ring in her nose^(AD) and the bracelets on her arms,^(AE) ⁴⁸and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord.^(AF) I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,^(AG) who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.^(AH) ⁴⁹Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness^(AI) to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”